Wednesday, June 22, 2016

DESTINATION: Holzwarth Historic Site, RMNP, Colorado

Leaving the Coyote Valley Trailhead we traveled north on Trial Ridge Road to the Holzwarth Historic Site. Sometimes the Holzwarth Site is referred to as the Never Summer Ranch but technically it was one of two businesses in the same area. The cabins and buildings of the Never Summer Ranch have been removed to preserve the historic accuracy of the Holzwarth site.
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Historic Site sign

We parked in the parking area and started our 1.3 mile hike along the trail. The first historic building we came to was an old miner's cabin which belonged to the Never Summer Ranch. The cabin was built by Joseph Fleshuts in 1902. For some unknown reason he abandoned the 160-acre homestead in 1911, and was never heard from again. RMNP rangers were on hand to retell the history of the cabin.

Fleshut's Cabin

From the old miner's cabin we hiked the mostly level trail towards the Holzwarth site crossing the Colorado River and enjoying sweeping views of the Kawuneeche Valley.

Fences and corrals are all that remain from the Never Summer Ranch

At just over a half-mile from the trailhead we reached the Holzwarth cabins. The cabins that make up this site were built by German immigrant, John Holzwarth Sr., in 1917. Initially the family moved to the area to start a cattle ranch but with the opening of Rocky Mountain National Park, tourism boomed and the family quickly turned their cattle ranch into a guest ranch called the Holzwarth Trout Lodge. In the day guest could stay at the lodge for $2 a day or $11 a week.

Guest cabin at Holzwarth Trout Lodge

Park rangers and volunteers escort you through the property

Cold house at the cabin - notice the prairie grass on the roof. That is the original grass the Holzwarth's planted on top of the roof. It has been maintained all these years.

Again, park rangers and volunteers were on the site to give tours of the cabins and tell the story of how the lodge worked.